Seed-cleaner.



G. A. LEE.

SEED CLEANER. APPLICATION FILED 111111.13, 1913.

1,109,428. l Patented sept. 1, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THE NORRS PETERS C0.. FHOTU-LITI'HO.. WSHINGTUN. D. C.

C. A. LEE.

SEED CLEANER.

APPLIGATION FILED 1111111.13, 1913.

Patented sept. 1, v1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

nuantoz 6 rJx/L e e C. A. LEE.

SEED CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.13,1913.

1,109,428. Petettet sept. 1,1914.

4 SHEET S-SHEET 3.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

G. A. LEE.

SEED CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED 111111.13. 1913y I 1,109,428. Patented Sept. 1, 1914..

SHEETS-SHEET 4.

I .mM/07. www, s.

In.; MORRIS PETERS CD.,PHoTo-LlTHo,.WASH1NGrON, D. c..

lfully described and then more particularly .pointed out .in the appended claims.

UNITED STATES y CLIFFORD A, LEE, or ivioRnIsiviiivNEsofrA.

sami-CLEANER.

`To alli/whom #may concern:

Beit known that I,YCL1F10RD A. LEE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Morris, in `the county of Stevens and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and Vuseful Improvements in Seed-Cleaners, of`

which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to seedl` cleaners, 4' and ,has for its object the provision of a; sim'- 10 `.which barley, wheat or other valuable seeds may be separated fromand cleaned of wild plefand efficient apparatus by the use of oat seeds, garlic, and other seeds which'fif `,planted with the desirable seeds would depreciate the value of the crop. y a

One object of the invention is to provide simple and eiiicient means whereby the seeds' may be freed of any straw or other rubbish which may have been gathered therewith, and a further object, of the invention is to provide a seed cleaner in `which the seeds will be automatically separated and graded according to their quality. f

A further object `of uthe invention is to provide simple and efficient means by which the cloggingofthe screens by the seeds will be prevented, and, finally, the object ofthe invention is to simplify the arrangement and operation of the `parts of a seed separator and kcleaner to the end that the etliciency and ldurability of the same may be increased. f l

lThe invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and consists in certain novell features which will be hereinafter first In thesdrawings; Figure 1 is a side view of a seed cleaner embodying my invention;I Fig. 2 is av vertical longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 3 is a plan view; Fig. l is a` transverse vertical ysection takenl substantially in the plane ofl the drivingl shaft as indicated by the line 4;-4 in Fig. 2. y

In/carrying out my invention, I employ a supporting frame consisting of legs or posts land longitudinal beams 2 secured thereto cross bars or, beams 3 being secured to the posts so as to brace the structure, and stand- 'ards 4 being secured'to: the sills or longitudi- .A nal beams 2te furnish supports'for the bear- "ingsin which the driving shaftis journaled.

The upper and lower'beams 2 are inclined fin vopposite directions and upon the upper ends of the upper beams is secured a hopper Specification of Lettersatent Patented sept. 1, 1914. r Application led March 13,1913@y Serial No. 754,052. f f

which may be of anyH preferred coiis'truci f tion and" is equipped with an. adjustablecut- ,olf 6k soasto regulate the flow offseed from 4,the hopper to the upper screen. Crossbars ,Znaresecuredupon and extend between the .upper side bars2 atthe ends thereof, and to f these cross bars are secured strapsfor'brack- 4ets 8L which "supportthe upper screen .9.

These straps or brackets 8 i are formed with longitudinal slots 10 4through lwhich the securingbolts are inserted into thecross bars;

yand which accommodate the movement of the strapsjwhen thefapparatus is in use so ythat thevibration ofl Ithe'screens will not i l tend to break or otherwise destroy the straps.

Theinnerendsfof the straps or brackets are`r`v` secured kdirectly to the' upper edges of the side bars of the screen frame and cross bars 11` extend between the; said side barsat the ends thereof, fthe screenV 12 being secured directlyk upon the said cross bars, as clearly shown. The screenmay be of any preferred or convenient construction and isprefer ably inthe form of wirey netting fof the proper mesh togaccoinplish the desired result. yAn' imperfoiate '.bottomor pan 13 is? secured to the .under` sides of the cross bars 11 and the lower r edges of the side bars of the screen, and at `its lower end the said bottom or pan is provided' with atransverse trough or` discharge spout kt-which leads laterally 'i` to oneside of the main supporting frame so as to disehargethe wild oats andother undesirable seed" kinto a suitable receptacle Awhich v`may` loe hung upon the frame or placed upon the spout. l. n The upperside bars Qare extended beyond the rear end of the screen, and at the lower L,edges of these extended portions of the said floor ofthe room belowy the i .screen 15 `which is preferably. inthe form of a metallic platefhaving large perforations 16 therethrough, as, shown. r This `straw-supporting screen is supported at its :rear or outer edge by links 17 which are pivoted atV 95 side bars is provided La straw-supporting" between these side plates 19 and may be adjusted to a greater or lesser angle according to the strength of the blast directed against the screen 15 and the weight of thej material passing therethrough. 1

. A lower screen is arranged just-above thel lower side bars-'2 `and this screeniconsistsi of side bars or rails 21, a foraminous platei '22`Secured at itsends to cross bars 23,*eX-

tending between the ends of the side barsi yor rails 21, and an imperforate plate or botvtom 24: secured to the lower edge of the saidl side bars. The foraminous plate 22 may befy of any desired form but will -preferably be; of wire netting of a larger or wider mesh! than the upper screen 12. rlhe imperforate-g bottom plate 24 terminates short of the front;y end of the screen,` thereby providing fani opening 25 through which the' second gradel seeds may pass onto a deflectloior guide plate 26 by which they are directed into trough 27 disposed transversely of the frame, so as to discharge into any convenient recep-A tacle. The deiicctor 26 and the trough 27 are carried by the lower side bars 2 and at l the frontend of the deflector is a troughl or discharge chute 28 which receives the4 first grade seeds passing over the front end of the screen 22, -a-swill be readily under-i stood. A vbar or other support`282L may be placed below the screen to prevent sagging?y of the saine. f

The driving shaft 29 is mounted in bearings 30 secured upon the standards sand hasi cranked portions 31 Vnear its ends to which; are connected pitmen or rods 32 which have their rear ends pivoted tothe lower ends off the links 18 so that,- asthe driving shaft ro-g tates, the cranked portions thereof will part a vibratory movement to the screen 15.; Hangers 38 are also pivotally mounted upon# the crankedportions of the driving shaft` and have their lower ends pivoted to the lower screen so that the rotation of the shaft will impart an up and down or vertical reciprocatorymovement to the lower screen, and connecting rods or links 34 are secured;k

to the sides of the upper and lower screensso that ythe movement of the lower screen will be imparted directly to the upper screeni and the two screens vibrated in unison. Thefy links or connecting rods 34 are adjustably attached to the screens so that the inclination of the screens may be varied as desiredr A cross bar 35 is-secured to and extends between the lower side barsand constitutesa bumper, being adjustable vertically so that on the down stroke of the lower screen the` bottom thereof will be brought against this bumper and the seeds, consequently, jarred orshaken so that clogging of the screen cannot occur.

Between the cranked portions of the driving shaft, fan blades 36 are secured rigidly thereto and radiate therefrom and around the said fanyblades is provided a casing 37 having openings 38 in its sides to permit air 'to' be drawn into the casingy therethrough.

This casing is supported in proper position by being secured directly to atransverse beam 39 forming a part of the main frame and from the casing a discharge spout40 extends longitudinally between the4 two screens toward the rear thereof so that the blast -issuing from the discharge end l1 of the saine will be directed upon the deflector 20 and thence 'turned against the bottom of the screen 15 through which it passes so that the straw, chaff,` and other light dirt will be blown from the rear end of the apparatus. Brackets l1a are secured to the sides of the spout and to the main frame to support the same and prevent it dropping onto the screen.

It is thought the `operation of the inachiiie will be readily understood from the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. AThe seed to be cleaned is placed in the hopper 5 and thecut-oif 6 adjusted so as to permit the same to flowV in a stream onto the upper screen, after which motion is imparted to the driving shaft by a driving gear wheel 42 meshing with a pinion'fl on the end of the driving shaft, as will be readily understood. The rotation of the driving shaft so as to draw air into the casing 37 and expel the saine ina strong blast through the nozzle or mouth 41 in said casing;` as previously stated. The cranked portion of the driving shaft will impart a vibratory Inoveinent to the lower screen through the haiigers 33 and to the screen 15 through the pitinan 32 and the links 18. The movement of the lower` screen will be transmitted through the links 34 to the upper screen so that said screen will be shaken and the material Vdeposited thereon caused to flow slowly toward the rear end of the saine. The smaller seeds, such as wild oats and the undeveloped seedsj` will drop through the said screen onto the pan 13 and will flow down said pan into the trough 111 through which `they will escape to the bag or other receptacle provided therefor. The straw and large seeds will pass over the rear end f will cause the fan blades to rotate rapidly of the screen 12 onto the screen 15 and the i straw Iand large pieces of rubbish will be caught by said screen and blown therefrom by the air blast, as will be readily understood, while the vibrationof said screen will e pass over the deflector 20 `onto the lower screen 22. The vibration kof this screen will cause the seeds to travel over the same tward the front end thereof and the smaller seeds will drop through the screen onto the bottom plate or pan 24 and escape from the y same through the opening 25 onto the deflector 26 and. thence pass into the trough or chute 27. The larger rsty grade seeds will pass over the front end of the screen and drop into the trough orlchute 28 from which they will pass' into any suitable receptacle. It will thus be seen that the seeds are very quickly and completelyfreed from all foreign matter and that the good Seeds are automatically graded. The vibration of the lower screen will cause the bottom therea of to impinge against the bumper 35,' as

`before stated,y and the said bumper is adjustable in its supports so that it maybe easily raised to compensate forl wear and also to attain the proper agitation of the seeds. f

It will be noted that the machine is free of all complicated gearing or intricate ar-` i rangements of its partsand that the fanis disposed between the the screens so that the air blast will be directed to the point where it may be most efficiently utilized and also that the screens are visible and accessible at f all ytimes so that the progress of the seed sorting and cleaning operations may be con# v low said screen, a separator disposed ladjacent the lower end of said screen, links' pivoted at their upper ends upon `the main frame and at their lower ends lto the outer edge of said separator, a link pivoted upon the frame below said separator and having said separator near the inner edge thereof,

its upper end pivoted to the bottomof and a pitman pivoted at its outer end to :the i lower end of said link and having its inner yend connected to the fan-shaft vwhereby the pitrnan will` 'be reciprocat'ed by said shaft. f

2. In an apparatus for `the purpose` set forth, the combination of a main frame, a

`screen slidablysupported upon the -top of the main frame, a separatordisposed ad-y jacent the rear end of said screen, a lower screen disposed within theimain frame and suspended from the upper screen, a deflector pivoted within the main frame and extending from the outer rear end of the separator to the outer 'rear end of the lower f `main frame between the screen and having -its outlet directed toward said deflectona .fan within said casing, a. crank shaft eX- screen, a fan-casing supported within the tending transversely through said casing and carrying said fan, a pitman connecting said shaft with the separator, hangers fitted upon said shaft and ydepending therefrom and secured tothe lower screen, and means for rotating said shaft. Y

`ln testimony Vwhereof Ik afliXl my signa# turein presence oftwo witnesses.

e CLIFFORD A. LEE. [1.. SJ p Witnesses:`

F. R. PUTNAM, J. C. MCCONVILLE.

Copies of this 'patent inay kbeobtained. for ve cents eaeh,.by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. f 

